Ebola outbreak: DGCA asks airlines to make in-flight announcements, take SOP steps

Amid the Ebola outbreak reported in parts of Africa, aviation regulator DGCA has directed airlines to adopt several precautionary measures, including making in-flight announcements and ensuring mandatory self-declaration forms are filled out by passengers arriving from or transiting through affected countries, PTI reported.

Ebola disease is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by infection with the Bundibugyo virus strain of Ebola virus. It is a serious disease with a high mortality rate. At present, no vaccines or specific treatments have been approved to prevent or treat Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain.

The DGCA has also issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlining public health preparedness and response measures for handling Ebola cases.

Airlines having (direct or indirect) connectivity with Uganda and Congo are required to make mandatory filing and collection of Self Declaration Forms before de-boarding of passengers.

Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Emirates, Air France, Etihad Airways, and Egyptair are among the 13 carriers in the list of entities carrying passengers from Congo mentioned by DGCA.

The list of 17 airlines carrying passengers from Uganda referred to by the regulator includes Air India, IndiGo and KLM.

The airlines are also required to make an in-flight announcement that, in view of the current threat of Ebola disease, any traveller who has fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, bleeding, should report immediately to the crew and at the immigration/medical unit on arrival.

In the in-flight announcements, the carriers should also mention "all travellers (passengers and crew), irrespective of nationality, will be required to fill a Self Declaration Form and hand it over at the immigration/designated counter", as per the DGCA advisory dated May 22.

In-flight as well as arrival protocols for suspected cases have also been specified by the DGCA, including that in such instances, the aircraft should be parked in a separate, designated bay.

For suspected cases onboard an aircraft, DGCA said that among other measures, the passenger should relocated to the rear end of the aircraft and if possible, three rows in front and side rows of the passenger concerned should be kept vacant.

Airlines have also been told to ensure there is an adequate reserve stock of triple-layer masks, disposable hand gloves, PPE kits, hand sanitisers and bio-hazard disposal bags.

"These are to be utilised for any passenger reporting symptoms and for passengers likely to have had contact," DGCA said.

On Monday, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said no case of Ebola disease has been reported in the country so far, as he reviewed the preparedness and surveillance measures to prevent any possible outbreak in India.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), while the Africa CDC has declared it a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).

Officials said no Ebola cases have been detected in India so far.

The review meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Health Secretary, the Director General of ICMR, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), the Additional Secretary for Public Health, the Director of NCDC, and other ministry representatives.

"Countries bordering DRC are at especially high risk and should take immediate action," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that he would travel on Tuesday to the DRC, the epicentre of the current outbreak of the deadly disease.

"The outbreak is spreading rapidly," Tedros told a virtual ministerial meeting on the viral haemorrhagic fever, which spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. It can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.

He said the current outbreak was "especially challenging".

The WHO said that since May 15, it has recorded 10 confirmed deaths and 220 suspected deaths linked to Ebola in the DRC. One confirmed Ebola death has also been reported in neighbouring Uganda, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, the Africa CDC warned on Saturday that, besides the DRC and Uganda, 10 other African countries are at risk of being affected by the Ebola virus.

(With inputs from agencies)